Former Downing Streen spin doctor Alastair Campbell is joining the New European as editor at large.
The paper was launched by Archant as a “pop up” title in July but appears to have now established itself as a permanent fixture.
With a cover price of £2 it is believed to have a weekly circulation of around 25,000.
Campbell left full-time journalism more than 20 years ago and previously worked as political editor of now-defunct daily paper Today and the Daily Mirror.
Campbell has already written for The New European and it obtained the serialisation rights to the latest volume of his diaries.
The New European won the chairman’s award at Society of Editors Press Awards this month.
Editor Matt Kelly said: “I am thrilled he has finally agreed to become the paper’s editor at large.
“He has been a huge supporter of ours from day one because we believe the same thing – that leaving the EU will do real damage to the country, and we cannot roll over and let Theresa May and the right-wing media cartel drive Britain over a cliff.
“We are especially excited because unlike some other recent high profile editorial appointments, Alastair also happens to be a genuine and proven journalistic talent, which has got to be an advantage.
“The New European will be paying Alastair for his work for us, but at his insistence it will be ‘a lot less than George Osborne gets for any of his job’.”
Campbell said: “The New European has been one of the few good things to emerge from the EU Referendum.
“I have done my bit to help the paper get off the ground, and now I intend to do a lot more to show that the Brextremist Lie Machine can be defeated, and the real national interest pursued, as opposed to the disastrous hard Brexit route Mrs May has chosen.
“I know that right now, we are in a minority in thinking Brexit can be stopped. But I am sure we are not in a minority in thinking it could well lead to disaster, and as the government head further down the route to the post Article 50 cliff edge, I believe the country can, must and will change its mind about the decision taken last year.
“The New European has a vital role to play in countering the lies of the Brextremist papers, and in challenging both the government and the other parties over their handling of this, the most important issue of our lifetime.”
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